Rep. Sean Casten mourned the lack of his 17-year-old daughter on Wednesday and mentioned the teenager died peacefully in her sleep.
The Illinois Democrat launched a heartbreaking assertion that mentioned his oldest daughter, Gwen Casten, went to mattress Sunday evening and by no means awakened.
“There aren't any phrases to explain the opening in your coronary heart when a baby dies,” the Congress member mentioned in a press release from himself, his spouse and his second daughter.
His workplace introduced Gwen’s passing in a brief assertion Monday, however supplied no additional info on the time.
In new particulars, Rep. Casten recounted the evening earlier than the teenager unexpectedly died.
He mentioned Gwen, his spouse, Kara, and youthful daughter, Audrey, had dinner collectively as a household that evening after which Gwen went out with associates for a couple of hours. After she returned residence, she mentioned good evening to her dad and mom, texted a good friend to ensure she obtained residence OK and went to mattress. She by no means awakened.
Casten mentioned the one factor he and his household learn about her dying is that it was peaceable.
“And the one lesson we are able to take from that's to savor the moments you have got together with your family members,” he mentioned. “We would like function. We wish to consider in a brighter tomorrow. However the one factor we are able to management is our current.”
Gwen deliberate to start out faculty on the College of Vermont within the fall to check environmental science, Casten mentioned.
The 17-year-old was captivated with music and, like her father, activism.
She performed trumpet in her highschool Downers Grove North’s jazz band, wind ensemble and pit orchestra within the spring manufacturing of “Mary Poppins.”
Gwen additionally created an “Empowerment Membership” at her faculty after being impressed by the coed activists following the Parkland taking pictures, Casten mentioned. The membership grew to become one of many largest at the highschool and took on points like gun violence prevention, environmental safety and LGBTQ allyship.
Via her work with the membership, the teenager helped register college students of age to vote and arranged Black Lives Matter rallies.
In response to her Twitter bio, she served as co-director of the March For Our Lives Illinois chapter.
She additionally appeared in a marketing campaign video in help of her father, who's working for a 3rd time period in Congress.
“If her mild appeared a bit brighter than most it was as a result of she was so beneficiant in reflecting again the sunshine and love that so many gave to her,” Casten mentioned of his late daughter.
Simply 10 days earlier than her dying, the Congress member proudly acknowledged his daughter’s work organizing a “Cease the Bleed” coaching at her faculty in a broadcast interview.
Casten and his household thanked everybody who reached out with condolences and help.
“To all asking what they will do, we ask solely that you just dwell your lives as Gwen lived hers,” he mentioned. “Savor the moments. Use each ounce of vitality you must guarantee a greater, extra tolerant, extra beneficiant, extra loving tomorrow. Not as a result of you realize that your tomorrow will come, however as a result of you realize that another person’s will.”
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